GTC2018

The Industry’s 11th Global Technology Conference (GTC2018) took place in Houston on Tuesday 2nd October 2018 during the 31st World LPG Forum.

GTC Innovation Award

The Innovation Award was granted to PayGo Energy for its paper “Digital Transformation of LPG distribution: A case study on the use of IoT to accelerate market adoption and combat illegal practices” presented in Houston.

Selected Abstracts 2018 for the 31st World LPG Forum

Environmental friendly Euro-6, fully Autogas-powered urban bus

This article describes a success story of a Euro-6 fully-Autogas powered bus developed by a consortium of Spanish companies which hit two targets at the same time: providing a clean, low emission Euro-6 solution for mass transportation also reducing operational costs in fuel and maintenance.

The project was led by a consortium made by King Long, Begas and REPSOL.

In additional to sound economic advantage, the low NOx and Particulate emissions of Autogas-powered engines help to improve the air quality and ultimately the health the whole community.

The project had an extraordinarily short design-to-market cycle as it started from an existing King Long platform. The robust, compact heavy-duty engine platform developed in consortium between REPSOL and Begas smoothly integrated with a special purpose transmission provided an extraordinarily efficient powertrain.

In this exercise of parallel engineering and collaboration between companies it was also important the increasing awareness of the Administrations.

Mr Victor Saenz, Begas Motor, Spain

Should Propane and LPG displace Fuel Oils in Gas Turbines for Power Generation?

Electrification and access to affordable electricity are essential for economic development and improvements in quality of life. As intermittent renewable power generation increases, distributed power generation will provide system stability, improved efficiency and security of supply.

While natural gas is considered the bridging fuel to a zero carbon power generation future, in many places natural gas is not yet available, or its’ supply cannot be guaranteed. In these instances, diesel or heavy fuel oils are chosen either as the primary or back-up fuel.

Diesel and fuel oils are highly polluting fuels. Combustion of these fuels leads to the high greenhouse gas emissions, while also emitting high levels of pollutants such as NOx, SOx and particulate matter which are both damaging to the environment, and hazardous to human health. Propane and LPG can be utilised instead of fuel to create clean, high efficiency distributed power plants with a reduced environmental impact.

Mr Michael Welch, Siemens Industrial Turbomachinery, United Kingdom

Prins Dual Injection Technology – especially for those new car engines that combine Multipoint (MPI) and Direct fuel Injection (DI) in one

Prins VSI Dual Injection technology provides an innovative and high quality bi-fuel LPG solution for car engines with both multipoint and direct fuel injection in one engine, allowing drivers to benefit from lower fuel costs and lower CO2 and particle emissions without compromising drivability and performance. Latest car models such as the 2017 Ford F-150 3.5L V6 EcoBoost® engine and cars with the Euro 6 – like VAG models (Volkswagen, Audi, Seat, Skoda) with 1.8/2.0 TFSI engine are eligible to benefit from this technology.

2-Stroke Propane Powered Outboard Engine

LEHR submits for your consideration, the world’s first OEM 2-stroke propane powered outboard engine utilizing a liquid propane delivery system. For 2017, LEHR introduces the largest propane outboard yet, a 40 hp model. The world’s first OEM marine outboard engines fueled by propane, the LEHR engines utilize LEHR’s gaseous fuel technology to eliminate the environmental detriment of gasoline, extend engine life and reduce the cost of operation. The new innovation incorporates an oil injection system which is both reliable and cost effective. With this innovative new engine, LEHR has introduced a direct competitor to the gasoline 40hp 2-stroke motors which are the most common fishing engines in the world.

Mr Bernardo Herzer, LEHR, United States

High Tech SNG Replacing a Huge Consumption of Natural Gas in an Integrated Steel Mill

The challenge was to replace natural gas in a huge integrated steel mill. When Ultragaz got the first contact the whole equipment and facilities was already designed and built to natural gas as usual. It was necessary to design and build two different SNG facilities: one for temporary delivery just to the startup of the coking plant and other for permanent delivery to the steel mill for at least 10 year. Both sites must operate producing different SNGs without any interruption even in case of major force. The overall investment reached 10 million US dollars and more than 30,000 tons of LPGas were sold at the first year. Outstanding controls to assure the gas quality and fine tuning cascade operation as PLCs and calorimeters as well as automatic standby systems were developed tailor made for this enterprise. The invoicing of LPGas has been done by Coriolis meters in real time.

Mr Guilherme Darezzo, Ultragaz, Brazil

GTT MARS – New membrane containment system for LPG carriers

This abstract describes GTT’s new membrane technology which has been designed for the storage of ships carrying gas. It brings an innovative value proposition to the LPG shipping market making ships safer, reduces their initial build and operational costs, increases overall efficiency by allowing greater loads and makes the vessel environmentally greener.

KopaGas has developed the world’s first commercial LPG smart meter for refillable LPG cylinders. This technology enables a new pay-as-you-go business model for low-income costumers that were not able to switch to LPG because its high initial set-up costs and refill affordability. KopaGas has completed a commercial pilot in Tanzania in collaboration with Oryx Tanzania. After paying a small deposit, a household gets access to a startup kit consisting of a gas stove, a full 15 kg cylinder, a KopaGas meter and connecting accessories. The household pre-pays for the service using mobile money. The meter is connected to cloud service via M2M technology that stops the gas flow when the credit is all consumed or the gas in the cylinder is depleted. The pilot has shown a number of benefits including high costumer satisfaction and gas use, as well as significant savings on charcoal without increasing overall expenditure on cooking fuels. The presentation will show quantitative results from a baseline survey carried in collaboration with GSMA and discuss the benefits and challenges that this technology can play to operators, gas importers and house hold users.

Dr Sebastian Rodriguez, KopaGas, United States

SmartGasTM Pay-As-You-Cook Technology

Envirofit SmartGas™ is a complete LPG solution that delivers safe, reliable, and affordable LPG. Through Envirofit’s GPS enabled OnDemand LPG Valve™, families are able to use multiple payment methods, including mobile money to pre-pay for LPG as needed. This activates the OnDemand LPG Valve™ to supply the purchased amount of gas, and sends a notification to customers before the pre-paid LPG is exhausted and the valve turns off. The OnDemand LPG Valve™ also alerts Envirofit’s 360 Customer Care Center to automatically schedule the next delivery before the customer’s cylinder runs out of gas, making LPG accessible and reliable. Envirofit is launching SmartGas™ LPG this year in East Africa and West Africa, and scale the technology and home-delivery service globally over the next three years.

Mr Tim Bauer, Envirofit, United States

Distributed CO2 Capture

Efficient and responsible use of the world’s energy reserves depends upon both optimizing efficiency to reduce cost and maximize reserve lifespan, while also carefully managing combustion wastes to minimize health hazards and environmental damage. M-TriGen is developing two Micro CO2 Carbon Capture modules that will work together with its MCCHP products. It is well established that distributed power generation via MicroCHP/CCHP systems such as M-TriGen’s PowerAire solutions, which allow direct use of engine waste heat, produce up to 45% more fuel efficiency than traditional MW centralized production. However, while CO2 capture and sequestration has long been addressed for the latter with mature technologies, development of micro CO2 systems has been somewhat ignored due to their relatively low CO2 emission contribution and the unfeasible nature of capital investment required. We have found, as with enhanced fuel efficiency, the micro power architecture uniquely leverages local production resulting in lower cost, more effective carbon capture methodologies.

Mr Donald Williams, M-TriGen, United States

Technology that will transform gas cylinders into advanced and modern devices

The new generation of the technology for monitoring gas levels in cylinders and for the detection of gas leakage has been developed. The main focus of the development process was to bring a breath of fresh air to the well-developed LPG cylinder market with new approaches, noticed with young dynamic users. The final goal of the solution is to give both parties (end customers and distributors) the information needed for being up to date all the time. Distributors will be able to keep existing customers satisfied, and will also be able to offer new potential customers a service that they cannot get from existing distributors.

Mr Simon Smolnikar, Senso4, Slovenia

An Intelligent Power Generation Facility

This abstract describes an intelligent power generation facility that integrates a propane cogeneration system (Combined Heat & Power (CHP)) as a power generation technology by using LPG and/or renewable energy. A test facility was attached to a condominium and office complex where verification tests have been conducted over the past four years.

The objectives were to provide the same living infrastructure in the event of a disaster, regardless of grid electricity and gas facilities, excel in cost performance and keep the emission of greenhouse gases to a minimum level.

The main goal is to accomplish an environment which is completely self-sufficient in local energy production and local consumption, at the same place, at the same time.

We are independently developing and experimenting an EMS (Energy Management System) that manages these individual power storage facilities in an integrated manner.

The test facility consists of 15 units and 2 floor offices that are rented as businesses to demonstrate not only the technical verification but business performance as well.

This interim report of the research will therefore present experimental facts as well as measured data.

Mr Ryoichi Sato, Lemon Gas, Japan

Truma LevelControl – Wireless Level Measurement for Gas Cylinder

The “Truma LevelControl” measures the gas level in almost any type of gas cylinder and transmits the reading via Bluetooth to a smartphone app or other receiver. Wireless and battery-operated it can be easily retro-fitted. The first market we plan to conquer is our home market – the caravaning industry. The product will be part of our digitally connected product system and enhances convenience in usage of LPG. Besides measuring the precise gas level, the system offers a consumption forecast of gas availability based on smart consumption estimation. As a next development stage the product will be rolled out to LPG-applications using cylinders or tanks in various markets. We see a huge benefit for the LPG industry by offering customers more convenience, but moreover new business models of connected services can be realized. LPG suppliers can utilize this device to enable more sales and tie customers.

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